Prophecy with an assumed condition

[tonychanyt]

1S 2:

27 A man of God came to Eli and told him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to your father’s house when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh’s house? 28 And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave to the house of your father all the offerings of the Israelites made by fire.

God promised the tribe of Levite and the house of Aaron to be priests and high priests. But Eli's son sinned grievously.

30 “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.

Did the Lord go back on his promise?

No. The promise had an assumed condition: They had to honor the Lord.

Two and half centuries later, Jon 3:

4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, 'Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!'"

This was another example of an assumed conditional prophecy.

The Ninevites repented and God did not punish them at that time. It demonstrated God's mercy overriding His judgment when people genuinely repent.

Jeremiah explained in 18:

7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it.
9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10 and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it.

Ezekiel explained in 33:

13 If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but he then trusts in his righteousness and commits iniquity, then none of his righteous works will be remembered; he will die because of the iniquity he has committed.
14 But if I tell the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and he turns from his sin and does what is just and right— 15 if he restores a pledge, makes restitution for what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without practicing iniquity—then he will surely live; he will not die.

Some prophecies came with an assumed implicit condition. When that condition changed, the prophecy could change to the opposite.

 

[Deborah1$]

1S 2:


God promised the tribe of Levite and the house of Aaron to be priests and high priests. But Eli's son sinned grievously.


Did the Lord go back on his promise?

No. The promise had an assumed condition: They had to honor the Lord.

Two and half centuries later, Jon 3:


This was another example of an assumed conditional prophecy.

The Ninevites repented and God did not punish them at that time. It demonstrated God's mercy overriding His judgment when people genuinely repent.

Jeremiah explained in 18:


Ezekiel explained in 33:


Some prophecies came with an assumed implicit condition. When that condition changed, the prophecy could change to the opposite.

Always appreciate your insight on this.

 

[KevinT]

God promised the tribe of Levite and the house of Aaron to be priests and high priests. But Eli's son sinned grievously.

Did the Lord go back on his promise?

No. The promise had an assumed condition: They had to honor the Lord.

...


Some prophecies came with an assumed implicit condition. When that condition changed, the prophecy could change to the opposite.

I think this is an important condition that often gets overlooked. Many think that all the prophecies made about Israel in the OT will be fulfilled, because God said it, and thus it has to happen. But they forget that all God's prophecies are conditional.

Another element is that some see prophecies as glimpses into a future that already exits and is written into stone. Again, if that were true, then the prophecies would never fail based on human disobedience.

KT

 

[tturt]

There are prophecies yet to be fulfilled in Scripture. They're not conditional: they will happen. "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Matt 24:36).

 

[KevinT]

There are prophecies yet to be fulfilled in Scripture. They're not conditional: they will happen. "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Matt 24:36).

Is every prophecy unconditional? If not, how do you determine which is which?

Best wishes
KT

 

[tturt]

About one-fourth of the Bible is prophecy with about half fulfilled. On one hand, there are hundreds of God's promises and some are conditional stated as 'If" "then' such as in Psa 91. Primarily, the "If" is v1 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Then God promises are stated including to protect, bless, answer prayer, and be there when in trouble.

While ohers study and there's about 4-6 main eschatology views. Even if eschatology is not of interest and I admit I haven't studied but just from reading the Bible, it's clear that these prophecies will be fulfilled. Here's a couple of examples.

Some doubted the end times because of what's stated in Rev 11. But since technology was developed and advanced, anyone can see that what is described in Rev 11 :3-10 about the 2 witnesses will happen. "And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves." Have you seen the huts that some live in without any furnishings except a TV? While the text already hits the nail on the head in terms of describing the attitude of people towards prophets, prophecy, and more importantly, views of God.

Also, when looking at Matt 24, some has happened or is happening. Even Petra (not named in Scripture) is being improved. But some say v 14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" is pending.

But that is happening now. According to testimonies, God is already making Himself known in various ways including dreams and visions to countless number of people and some of them worship other gods. He is fulfilling "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:" (Acts 2:17).

Not that we can use it as an excuse not to do our part but God could certainly reach all the nations in a few seconds.

Scripture states the end will come. So it will.

 

[tonychanyt]

About one-fourth of the Bible is prophecy with about half fulfilled.

Reference?

 

[tturt]

Haven't counted them nor purchased one of the many books written on the subject.

Prophecies are from Gen to Rev. One of the first prophecies is Gen 3:15. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (Gen 3:15). Prophecies are even mentioned in II Chron & Pro which are books not named after a prophet. Jesus is in every book of the Bible including Ruth as the kinsman redeemer, in Esther though He isn't named He is the Savior of His people, and Lamentations is about unbelievers' judgment. Prophecies in the New Testament includes "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;" (I Tim 1:18) which indicates conditional imo. Plus Rev - already posted some verses earlier.

The "Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy: The Complete Guide to Scriptural Predictions and Their Fulfilment" says there's over 1800 prophecies. Read earlier on Ligonier.org, 27% of the Bible is prophetic. Of course, there's different opinions. Gotquestions.org & Hugh Ross from Reasons to Believe state at least half have been fulfilled

There's about 1,189 chapters in the Bible (probably KJV) with 250 chapters from the prophets with an average of 26 verses per chapter. The tabernacle under Moses' administration makes up about 50 chapters in the Bible. "But these offer] service [merely] as a pattern and as a foreshadowing of [what has its true existence and reality in] the heavenly sanctuary. For when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was warned by God, saying, See to it that you make it all [exactly] according to the copy (the model) which was shown to you on the mountain." (Heb 8:5) Agree that it is prophetic as illustrated in the thread here on CF by nephilimiyr about Moses' tabernacle and God's plan of redemption.

 

[tonychanyt]

Read earlier on Ligonier.org, 27% of the Bible is prophetic.

Thanks for the tip. This is how to do referencing and quotation in a scholarly manner:

1. Display and indent the relevant text.
2. Selectively bold the particular keywords that are important to your point. There is no need to bold the entire sentence. Have a laser-sharp focus.

 

[Rose_bud]

I think this is an important condition that often gets overlooked. Many think that all the prophecies made about Israel in the OT will be fulfilled, because God said it, and thus it has to happen. But they forget that all God's prophecies are conditional.

Another element is that some see prophecies as glimpses into a future that already exits and is written into stone. Again, if that were true, then the prophecies would never fail based on human disobedience.

KT

Hi KT

There are prophecies that are not conditional or at least not conditional on human requirements, ie If, Then...

The prophecy and covenant with Abraham had no bearing on whether Abraham had to fulfill certain conditions or "do". He merely had to believe.

Genesis 15, is God covenanting with Himself to bring about His promises to Abraham. Abraham was in a deep sleep as God walked through the cut covenant offerings.